Induced terreins production from marine red algal-derived endophytic fungus Aspergillus terreus EN-539 co-cultured with symbiotic fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus EN-531.

The coculture of marine red algal-derived endophytic fungi Aspergillus terreus EN-539 and Paecilomyces lilacinus EN-531 induced the production of a new terrein derivative, namely asperterrein (1) and a known dihydroterrein (2), which were not detected in the axenic cultures of both strains. The production of the known secondary metabolites terrein (3), butyrolactone I (4), and dankasterone (6), derived from A. terreus EN-539, were depressed significantly in the coculture. Compounds 1-3 exhibited inhibitory activity against Alternaria brassicae, Escherichia coli, Physalospora piricola, and Staphylococcus aureus with MIC values ranging from 4 to 64 μg ml-1.